January 2026 Student Newsletter |
Dear CCAS Graduate Students,
We hope that you had an amazing winter break - it's great to see you back on campus!
This month's newsletter is full of important reminders and resources, including upcoming events, information on free transportation options around campus, key dates for Spring 2026 graduates, and more!
Looking for past issues of our newsletter? Check out our revamped Student Newsletter page for the archives!
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Upcoming Graduate Student Events |
Wednesday, January 21 from 5:15 - 6:15 PM | University Student Center, 3rd Floor Amphitheater
“Bays, Bugs, and Bacteria: The Ecology of Survival” is this academic year’s final installment in a series of science conversations moderated by CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck. The topic of this session is how the environment shapes life, and how life shapes the environment. Panelists will discuss the changes in salinity in the Chesapeake Bay, life in volcanoes, along with the way these environments shape the interactions between plants, animals, and insects within them. Registration is recommended to attend.
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National Hot Chocolate Day |
Thursday, January 29 from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Phillips Hall, Room 215
The Student Services Team will be celebrating National Hot Chocolate Day on January 29th! Stop by our temporary location in Phillips Hall, Room 215, between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM to meet your Student Services Coordinator and get free hot chocolate!
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Important Reminders & Resources |
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The University will be closed with no classes held on Monday, January 19, 2026 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.
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Be sure to familiarize yourself with all CCAS and University policies, especially if you began your program of study in Spring 2026. Students are responsible for adhering to all policies and procedures relevant to the pursuit of their graduate degree, including those published in the University Bulletin, the CCAS Bulletin, and in the CCAS Graduate Student Handbook.
- All CCAS graduate students must register continuously each fall and spring semester until they have completed their program of study.
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Failure to register may result in a student being withdrawn from their program of study. Students who are withdrawn for failure to register may be required to apply for readmission. Please see our Registration Policy for more information.
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If you would like to request a leave of absence (LOA) for the Spring 2026 semester, please review our LOA policy and discuss this option with your Director of Graduate Studies. If you choose to take an LOA, please complete a Leave of Absence Application Form and submit it to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu.
- Sometimes, a student may have a hold placed on their account, which prevents course registration. If you have a hold that prevents registration, you will need to complete the action listed in the hold message before the hold can be removed. A hold may only be removed by the office that placed the hold.
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Please review the Registrar’s Office Fall/ Spring Schedule page for a full list of Spring 2026 registration deadlines.
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January 16: Last day to register for a Consortium course (please see the Consortium registration procedures)
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January 25: Last day to add a course on GWeb; last day of the 100% tuition refund period (read on for more information about the Tuition Refund Policy)
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In addition to key registration dates with academic impacts, you should also keep in mind the Tuition Refund Policy, which governs the proportion of your tuition that may be refunded based on when in the semester a course is dropped.
- Courses dropped within the first two weeks of classes will be eligible for a 100% tuition refund.
- If you drop courses after the second week of classes, please be aware that you will only be refunded a portion of the tuition you paid for those credits.
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Information on course exchanges can be found in the Adding & Dropping Courses section of the Student Accounts Office website. Please reach out to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu for help completing a course exchange after the end of the 100% tuition refund period.
- More information on the Tuition Refund Policy can be found on the Student Accounts Office website.
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Be sure to check your Student Accounts eBill to see if you have an outstanding balance due. Per GW’s Student Accounts Past-Due Policy, payment of all tuition charges and other applicable fees is due by the first day of the semester, unless you are actively participating in a GW monthly payment plan.
- Any outstanding balance on your Student Account after the start of the semester may be subject to a late payment fee.
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The Student Accounts Office charges late fees for each semester in two rounds: a flat, $75 fee earlier in the semester, and a 5% fee based on the total amount owed later in the semester. In spring, the $75 late fee is charged in March, and the 5% fee is charged in April.
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More information on the late fee policy, as well as the full fee schedule, can be found in the Late Payments section of the Student Accounts Office website.
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All GW students enrolled in classes on the Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon, VSTC, and Corcoran campuses, as well as all international students on a J1 or F1 visa, are required to have health insurance while they study at GW. These students will be automatically enrolled in GW’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
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If you have existing coverage under a health insurance plan other than GW SHIP, you may want to waive SHIP coverage. If you plan to waive SHIP coverage for Spring 2026, please check to see whether your existing insurance plan meets the waiver criteria before submitting the SHIP waiver form. The deadline to waive SHIP coverage for Spring 2026 will be February 1, 2026.
- For more information, refer to the GW University Health Plan website or the GW Student Health Center SHIP website.
- For specific benefits or claims questions, contact Aetna Student Health at 877-480-4161. For all other questions or concerns, email ship@gwu.edu.
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Resource Highlight: Free Campus Transportation Options |
Looking for a safe, affordable way to get around campus? GW has a few (free) options you might find useful.
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If you live near the Foggy Bottom campus, you may consider taking the Safeway Shuttle to shop for groceries. Every Saturday during the normal academic year (August-May), between noon and 4:00pm, students can hop on the “Safeway Shuttle” in front of Funger Hall. The shuttle runs between Foggy Bottom campus and the Safeway on Wisconsin Ave. Check out the Safeway Saturdays page for more information and shuttle times.
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GW Safe Ride provides a free and safe ride to/from Foggy Bottom Campus residence halls and academic buildings during late-night hours for students, faculty and staff who prefer not to walk alone. GW Safe Ride operates daily between 7:00pm - 4:00am during the academic year, except on designated University holidays. For more information and a link to download the GW Safe Ride app, please visit the GW Safe Ride page.
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Save the Date! Professional Branding Bootcamp |
Friday, March 20, 2026 from 9:45am - 4:00pm | University Student Center, Room 402 (in-person)
The Professional Branding Bootcamp will prepare Columbian College graduate students to conduct a successful job search and secure employment post-graduation. Students will build their professional branding statement, get a FREE professional headshot, hear advice from successful GW alumni, and more! Sessions include but are not limited to:
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- Resume Alignment & Professional Branding
- Establishing Your LinkedIn Professional Presence
- CCAS Graduate Alumni Panel
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Please fill out the registration form to attend. Graduate from GW feeling confident in your professional brand and prepared to thrive in the world of work!
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Spring Career Readiness Workshops |
Check out our spring Career Readiness Workshop schedule on our Graduate Career Services Events page! As a reminder, you can view past workshops on our Career Services YouTube Channel.
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1:1 Career Coaching Appointments |
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Spring 2026 ETD Reminders |
If you will be completing your thesis or dissertation in Fall 2025, please continue to be mindful of ETD clearance deadlines for both Ph.D. students and for Master’s students completing a thesis.
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ETD Deadlines & Resources |
Save the date for our upcoming Ph.D. ETD formatting and copyright workshops! Students planning to defend in the Spring semester are strongly advised to attend at least the Ph.D. ETD workshop. Please visit our Graduate Student Events page to register for all ETD workshops.
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Spring 2026 Graduation Reminders |
Students completing their final program requirements in Spring 2026 must submit an online graduation application for Spring 2026 in order to graduate and receive their diplomas (or certificates).
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Key Application Deadlines |
Please visit the Registrar's Office Application Deadlines page for a full list of graduation application deadlines. If you need to review your graduation application to check your diploma name or mailing address, please log in to GWeb and select "View Graduation Application."
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- March 14: Submit the online graduation application via GWeb
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April 17: Deadline to submit name changes (complete the Biographical Update Form, making sure to indicate that you have Applied for Graduation - step 4 in the graduation application instructions)
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May 14: Deadline to submit diploma mailing address changes (complete the Biographical Update Form, making sure to indicate that you have Applied for Graduation - step 5 in the graduation application instructions)
- May 17, 2026: Degree conferral date, which will be printed on your diploma
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Other Important Reminders |
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Funding, Fellowships, Internships, & Employment Opportunities |
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Please feel free to reach out to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
The Student Services Team
Office of Graduate Studies
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
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